Tenant FAQs

What you need to know before renting

  • I need to find a property to rent, what should I do first?

    There are 4 key points that you need to look at prior to looking at rental properties.

    • Budget – what can you afford? Use our Affordability Calculator to see how much you can afford.
    • Current Position – are you in rented already and are required to give your current Landlord one months’ notice? Make sure you can exit your current tenancy agreement prior to applying for rental properties. If this is your first-time renting, then keep reading!
    • Location – ensure you are looking in the right area for a property and don’t narrow your search area down too specifically.
    • Property Type – Are you looking for a house or an apartment? How many bedrooms are you looking for? Do you require a garden? All these questions are paramount to you finding your perfect home.
  • What is referencing and why do I need to be referenced?

    Tenant referencing is a landlord’s way of finding out information about a prospective tenant. A tenant reference involves several checks and verifications to help landlords decide whether a tenant is suitable for their property. At Grace Estate Agents, we use an external referencing company who will carry out three kinds of checks which are a credit check, an income check (employer) and a landlord reference (if applicable).

  • What identification do I need to rent?

    All applicants will be required to provide the following documents:

    • Passport or Driving Licence (photo ID)
    • Bank Statement or Utility Bill (address ID)

    You will be required to provide further documentation if you have a time limit on your right to stay in the UK. We would recommend following the below link to the GOV.UK website which will guide you through the process on how to prove your Right to Rent status.

    Prove your right to rent in England - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

  • What is a Guarantor and why might I need one?

    A guarantor is someone who agrees to pay your rent if you don't pay it. If you don’t pay your landlord what you owe them, they can ask your guarantor to pay instead. If your guarantor doesn’t pay, your landlord can take them to court. There are many situations that a landlord may ask for a guarantor and depending on your location, financial situation, or credit history, this may vary.

  • What deposits are involved with renting?

    Holding Deposit

    A holding deposit is a payment to a landlord or agent to reserve a property. This is equivalent to 1 week of the rental amount

    Tenancy Deposit

    A tenancy deposit is usually paid before a tenant moves into a property; it is also known as a Security Deposit. This can be used by the Landlord to cover costs such as rental arrears or damage to the property. The deposit will be returned to you in full at the end of the tenancy unless your landlord has a reason to make deductions.

     

    From 1 June 2019, the maximum tenancy deposit is equal to 5 weeks' rent.

    How to calculate your maximum tenancy deposit:

    (Your monthly rent x 12 ÷ 52 x 5 = maximum tenancy deposit)

  • What are my obligations as a tenant?
    • The agreed rental payments must be paid on time, or you could be at risk of your landlord taking court action to gain possession of the property.
    • All bills should be paid in full and on time, these usually include all utilities, council tax & internet & telephone, unless agreed otherwise.
    • To keep the interior of the Property and the Fixtures and Fittings in the same decorative order and condition throughout the term, as at the start of the tenancy by keeping it clean, not causing any damage, maintaining small things like lightbulbs, ensuring your smoke alarms are in working order and changing the batteries when required.
    • Notifying your Landlord or agent as soon as possible when repairs are required or there is an emergency. If you delay reporting a repair and this causes additional damage to the property, this could be your responsibility.
    • Any visitors you have at the property must behave responsibly, the same goes for you as the tenant.
    • To allow access to the property when given 24 hours’ notice by the Landlord/Agent/Contractor.
    • To notify the Landlord or agent if you plan to leave the property empty for a period of 2 weeks or more.
  • How do I end my tenancy and how much notice do I have to provide?

    A tenancy runs until it is ended by either the tenant giving notice - Ending your tenancy - Citizens Advice, or landlords serving an eviction notice - Eviction notices from private landlords - Shelter England. As a tenant, the amount of notice you are required to give depends on the type of tenancy you have and your individual tenancy agreement.

    If you have a fixed term contract, you can only end your tenancy during that time if the tenancy agreement states this. If your agreement has a break clause, you may be able to break your tenancy agreement early.

See our lettings properties

Search
Request Valuation